As the Florida Legislature begins this year's 60-day session on Tuesday, there will be wonderful speeches delivered by our elected representatives extolling our freedoms, pledges to work together for a better society and great huzzas about what a swell democracy we are blessed to live in.

Then Wednesday will roll around. And once again the Legislature will be transformed into the Best Little Whorehouse in Tallahassee.

So before the two-month delusion of holier-than-thou probity begins, there is the annual Associated Industries of Florida pre-session party. Togas optional. It is at this event legislators mingle with various lobbyists to share a cocktail and collect a last-minute alms. Bonhomie abounds.

There are plenty of other pre-session legalized baksheesh-fests. But the Associated Industries soiree is sort of interesting since the party is also heavily attended by a Tallahassee press corps more than happy to record for posterity which member of the Florida Legislature is in the bag for which special interests.

And then Tuesday dawns and all those Fagins, who only hours before were selling themselves out to the highest bidder, are now reconstructed as high-minded Mr. and Ms. Smiths go to Tallahassee. But not for long.

There's work to be done. And here's what to watch as the Mustang Ranch of legislatures goes about its labors. If you are big business, big sugar, big guns (really big guns), big agriculture, big development, big whatever, then you are in great shape for the 2016 session. And why not? You paid for it.

Florida Legislature returns Tuesday

"Fresh off a year spent snared in gridlock over redistricting and the state budget, the Florida Legislature returns Tuesday for its annual 60-day session with fresh optimism that it will restore harmony to the process and put a halt to taxpayer-funded overtime." "Florida Legislature returns seeking unity despite simmering divisions."

Bondi blames her staffers

"Florida’s top law enforcement officials knew by 2012 that Millennium Laboratories, the nation’s largest drug testing company, was defrauding Florida Medicaid of millions."

But that did not stop Attorney General Pam Bondi from urging Medicare to pay for high-priced and unnecessary drug screening tests at the heart of Millennium’s massive scam, even as her own office and federal prosecutors pursued civil charges against the company.

Hours after The Post reported on the letter Friday afternoon, Bondi, who previously declined to be interviewed for this story, wrote in an email that staffers had written the letter, and that, “Knowing what I know now, The Palm Beach Post is correct that the letter should not have been sent.”

The United States' generosity to Cubans has been "systematically abused"

The Sun-Sentinel: "The United States opens its doors and wallets to Cubans like no other immigrant group, but that generosity has been systematically abused." "Special Treatment."

Jeb! insists he is not a robot

"Self-described as a policy nerd and tagged as "low energy" by Donald Trump, Jeb Bush is reaching deeper to show voters the man inside as he fights for his political survival ahead of New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary." "As crunch time nears, the reserved Jeb Bush flashes emotions."

Mario Diaz-Balart to give Spanish GOP Response to SOU

Kevin Derby: "Paul Ryan Picks Mario Diaz-Balart for Spanish GOP Response to State of the Union."

"What's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State"

Marc Caputo: "Cruz crew fights Rubio straw man in DUMB DADE DRAMA – Jeb v. Christie -- Rick Scott’s Trump crush – Cuba did what?" "Florida Playbook."

Pelosi has Wasserman Schultz's Back

Kevin Derby: "While increasingly liberals are urging the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to throw U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., overboard, the Florida congresswoman does have a major ally on Capitol Hill in her corner." "Nancy Pelosi has Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Back at DNC."

Never Mind

"Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano casts doubt on short-term prospects of gambling compact with Seminole Tribe." "Key Florida lawmaker says passage of $3 billion gaming deal unlikely."

Meanwhile, "Seminoles preparing $500K ad buy to push passage of gaming compact."

Weekly Roundup

"Weekly Roundup: Scott Plays Trump Cards."

"Full clip of firearms-related bills"

"Florida lawmakers will enter the annual legislative session Tuesday with a full clip of firearms-related bills. And it appears a Senate committee could play a pivotal role in determining whether two of the more controversial proposals advance this year."

One of the proposals (HB 4001 and SB 68) would allow people with concealed weapons licenses to carry firearms on state college and university campuses, while the other (HB 163 and SB 300) would allow people with the licenses to openly carry guns. Both issues await decisions in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where the campus-carry measure died last year.

Trump's love-hate relationship with Scott

"Donald Trump's love-hate Twitter relationship with Gov. Rick Scott."

Florida BOE rigs rules "to produce whatever results suit their political desires"

John Romano: "Here's what the state Board of Education did this week:"

Rescued schools, superintendents and Education Commissioner Pam Stewart from a barrage of outrage that would have surely followed had noticeably low school grades been released.

As a bonus, they managed to undermine the entire accountability system.

Before you get the wrong idea, I'm not criticizing board members. Given the hand they were dealt, I think they made the correct decision.

Unfortunately, they were put in this no-win situation by the continued zealotry of our testing-obsessed leaders in Tallahassee.

What the board essentially did was cook the books. When it became clear that the transition from one set of standardized tests to another had not gone well for either students or schools, the board chose a more lax grading standard.

In other words, they arbitrarily decided there would be half as many F-rated schools as there potentially might have been.

Let's say you bring your car to a mechanic, and he tells you the repair is going to cost $3,000. When you say that's ridiculous, he drops the price to $1,500. You might be much happier at $1,500, but you're never going to trust the mechanic again.

That's akin to what happened here. Education leaders have demonstrated in the past that they could rig rules and formulas to produce whatever results suited their political desires, and now they have proven it again in full view of the public.

So, yes, this is what agenda-driven education reform has wrought.

Suspicion. Confusion. Mistrust.

And an education system that continues to churn out high school students with lower college benchmark scores than most other states.

Members have created one catastrophe after another in education, but they refuse to accept responsibility for their asinine reforms. In fact, they sometimes double down on ideas widely viewed as idiotic. (I'm looking at you Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami.)

That's because they never suffer the consequences.

The proxy war between the two Republicans climaxed Wednesday when a national foundation founded by Bush challenged the Scott administration’s plan for overhauling the state’s school grading system, which was pioneered by the former two-term governor in 1999.

Stewart's plans will result in a slight majority of students in most grades passing the English and math tests, which critics, including Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education and business groups, argued was a misleading representation of students' readiness for college and careers. Her plan for a revamped school grades formula will produce a nearly identical distribution across the A-to-F scale for 2014-15 as the previous year, which the same critics argued was a result manufactured to mask a dip in performance associated with more rigorous academic standards and tests.

"The state Board of Education approved a new benchmark for school grades and students’ test scores today despite concerns it may be too easy on them." "New standards set for grades given Florida schools, students."

More: "State board adopts FSA passing scores, new school grades formula" and "Nearly Half of Florida's 10th Graders to Fail Part of FSA Under New Cut Score Formula."

BFFs? Not so much

"When they both ran for state Senate the first time in 2012, Pasco County’s John Legg and Wilton Simpson almost faced off in what could have been a bitter Republican primary — until Legg changed his mind at the last minute and ran in a neighboring district instead. . . . Four years later, it looks as though the two friends and Senate chamber neighbors are finally going head to head." "Friends Legg, Simpson will face off in same new Senate district."

Trump-Scott?

"Gov. Rick Scott issued a non-endorsement endorsement of Donald Trump by penning a Wednesday op-ed in USA Today in which he lauded the GOP presidential frontrunner for bucking the Republican 'establishment.'" "Rick Scott gushes over Donald Trump in op-ed."

See "Donald Trump has America's pulse: Rick Scott."

"He’s no lame duck"

Kevin Derby: "Rick Scott’s starting the new year by offering some reminders that, even while he can’t run for a third term, he’s no lame duck in Tallahassee." "Rick Scott Starts 2016 Back on Florida's Center Stage."

No pressure?

"After more than a decade as Florida’s chief insurance regulator, Kevin McCarty resigned Tuesday, nearly a year after he overcame a failed effort by Gov. Rick Scott to get rid of him." "Florida chief insurance regulator Kevin McCarty resigns."

"Rubio Is No Moderate"

"Rubio is the embodiment of the Republican donor class’s conviction that it needs to alter nothing more than its face." "Right-Wing Rubio: Marco Is No Moderate."

"What's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State"

Marc Caputo: "Rick Scott’s relevancy roar – Marco’s ‘booties’ and Jeb’s pocket turtles (really) – Rep. Brown’s BBQ joint subpoena – Wasserman Schultz: ‘drug culture’ isn’t in ‘suburbia’ (huh?)– Last Indian gator wrestler calls it quits." "Florida Playbook."

Former Jeb, Rubio Staffer Runs for Congress

"While former U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams, R-Fla., had been running for this seat, she suspended her campaign due to health reasons. Besides Patty, other Republican candidates include attorney Malcom Anthony, former New Smyrna Beach Mayor Adam Barringer and businessman G.G. Galloway. State Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach, businessman Bill McCullough and attorney George Pappas are running on the Democratic side." "Former Jeb, Rubio Staffer Brandon Patty Runs for Congress."

"Republicans should accept redistricting defeat"

The Tampa Trib editors: "The Republicans in charge should focus on winning fair and square, and spare the taxpayers and voters the cost and turmoil of more appeals." "Republicans should accept redistricting defeat and drop talk of appeals."

Contribution to Jeb! "marks milestone in unprecedented flow of money"

"Maurice R. 'Hank' Greenberg, who built American International Group Inc. into a world-wide financial powerhouse before its controversial government bailout, has donated $10 million to the super PAC backing Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, making him one of the largest contributors in the 2016 race." "Hank Greenberg Gives $10 Million to Super PAC Backing Jeb Bush."

"Crowded state Senate race"

"A newly drawn state Senate district in Orange County is attracting the interest of another local Democrat. Linda Stewart, a former Democratic House member, announced her candidacy for the District 13 seat on Wednesday." "Linda Stewart, former House Democrat, jumps into crowded state Senate race." See also "Clelland launches bid for state Senate."

Election Year Budget

"An election-year budget that includes huge tax cuts, record funding for public schools and a new initiative to bring jobs to Florida might be good politics for lawmakers. The question is whether they can afford it."

The proposed realignment of District 13 in the U.S. House of Representatives appears certain to sweep all of St. Petersburg into the district. Currently, downtown and nearby areas are in District 14, which includes Tampa.

The best they could do?

"Facing the threat of term limits, Florida’s appellate court judges will beef up their presence in the Capitol by hiring a lobbyist with strong political connections and a controversial past." "Florida judges hire lobbyist — a former judge — to fight proposed term limits."

The Dems don't like Paul Hawkes?

The Tampa Bay Times editors described him this way: say "Hawkes left a permanent stain on the judicial branch, and he does not deserve a second chance." "Gavel should fall on Paul Hawkes' career."

More: "Judge this judge harshly: Paul Hawkes 'has inflicted substantial harm' upon entire system." See also "Gov. Bush names House insider to appeals court."

"What's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State"

Marc Caputo: "STATE GOP shake-up -- RUBIO gives some family help -- BUSH’s bad week." "Florida Playbook."

Immigration issues could dominate 2016 campaigns

"This year saw new influxes of Central Americans and Cubans on the southern border, Syrian refugees rejected by the leaders of more than 30 states and the president's executive action on immigration mired in legal challenges." "How immigration issues could unfold during the 2016 campaign."

"'Carpetbagger' Candidate"

Nancy Smith: "'Carpetbagger' Candidate Causing a Stir over Senate Seat in Black Riviera Beach."

Could be a RPOF "massacre"

"Florida Republican insiders are bracing for a shakeup at the state GOP amid persistent financial troubles and looming staff departures that some have predicted could be a 'massacre.'" "Republican Party of Florida plans shakeup amid financial struggles." More: "Herold leaving state GOP to join DeSantis campaign."

"Medicaid still a thorny subject"

"There are still issues to resolve as lawmakers decide how much more the state will have to contribute to the massive federal-state health care program." "Medicaid still a thorny subject for legislators in Florida."

PolitiFact Florida’s 2015 Top 10

"PolitiFact Florida’s Top 10 fact-checks in 2015."

About those petitions

"After acknowledging this month that the initiative might not make the 2016 ballot, backers of a proposed solar-energy constitutional amendment have filed a federal lawsuit against a petition-gathering firm, court documents show." "Solar-power initiative backers sue petition firm."

"Rubio actually showed up for work"

"A strange thing happened the other day in Washington, D.C. Marco Rubio actually showed up for work. Without needing MapQuest he found his way to the Senate floor. He even remembered where his seat was." "A rare Rubio sighting."